Blackburn College Reviews

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Joshua from Carlinville, IL

01/25/2010

Reviewer is A current student here.

5 out of 5 people found this review useful.
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Great for these types of students

Blackburn is great for hard working students look at either Education or Science majors.

Tips for prospective students

Get used to a lot of people knowing your name before you know theirs.

Bang for the buck

Being a work/study college, Blackburn doesn't start off costing very much. The work program takes off a chunk of tuition every semester, and each student must work a minimum of 10 hours a week. Most classes are fun and entertaining, which helps in the learning process.

Am enjoying being here

Living on campus is a wonderful thing. You get to socialize with many new and interesting people. The campus is small, so you'll meet quite a few people rather quickly.

Am learning a lot

Blackburn offers many classes for a wide variety of people. Having just built a new $1mil+ science building in the last 5 years, Blackburn's science program is booming. The teachers have every intention of making you learn, which is wonderful.

Katie from Chicago, IL

11/12/2010

Reviewer is A current student here.

3 out of 3 people found this review useful.
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Great for these types of students

Blackburn is awesome for hard-working students who care about their futures as professionals and as people. It works for those who work themselves to full potential or are curious to find their full potential. Academically, Blackburn's largest programs are Science and Education, but students of every discipline will find something for them here. Socially, Blackburn is phenomenal for students looking to escape their shells and develop strong interpersonal skills with everyone on campus.

Tips for prospective students

Living on campus is a huge component to your experience here, so avoid commuting or going home every weekend. Once you're on campus, immerse yourself in the culture here; if there's something you feel is missing, you have the power to introduce it! Love books? You can rally up other book-lovers and create an extra-curricular activity group. As a Blackburn student, you have immense influence. It's your job to take charge of your experience here from the first day and to make it an incredible time!

Bang for the buck

Already the most affordable private college in Illinois, Blackburn has an incredible knack for helping you save your money. It offers many scholarships to incoming students -- freshman and transfer alike -- and keeps students aware of loan opportunities and financial aid programs. In addition, required participation in the Work Program (about 10 hours per week in an on-campus job) reduces tuition by over $2,000 and takes off more each year you're here. Most academic programs have well priced books and materials, and students often cooperate to trade textbooks to save money. Financially, Blackburn is sharp and efficient.

Am enjoying being here

Blackburn's small campus provides a load of opportunities for you to develop as an individual. Not only will this college move you to break the ice -- it encourages you to stomp all over it. Nearly everyone will learn your name quickly, making anyone a potential friend. Because students play such an important role on campus (in the Work Program and in academic departments), making these new friends so quickly comes in handy and helps you network. The school's theater productions welcome first-time players, and student publications like the Burnian offer substantial ways to be heard on campus. No matter what your interest is, Blackburn finds a way to work for you!

Am learning a lot

As a private liberal arts college, Blackburn does a great job providing interdisciplinary education. Whether it be Chemistry and English or History and Performing Arts, any pair of academic programs can compose an enriching study for you here. Professors engage you on a personal level, making it clear that learning at Blackburn is much more than reading and being tested on a text. Outside of the classroom are many student activities that expose you to the local culture and get you to participate in the community as a knowledgeable young person.

Nyantales from Carbondale, IL

01/09/2012

Reviewer is A current student here.

1 out of 1 people found this review useful.
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Campus Safety

Our dorm buildings are all locked, for residents are given keys. Students in Butler have two sets of outer doors to unlock instead of one. Student-run security is actually pretty effective, though the word student is not the most assuring.

Bang for the buck

This is a private college, so expect to shell out more. This is the cheapest private college, and we have a work-study program. Our classes are smaller, and our teachers get to know you.

What to do for fun

Athletics are always great, we are currently looking for cross country runners. For the more art oriented we have knitting club, and some are looking to start an art club. If nothing is interesting you can start a club, just ask any club president or our counselor.

Food and Dining

The food is usually better at the beginning of the semester and on weekends with fewer people. There is always a good variety available. There are vegetarian and vegan options always available, as well as allergy accommodations.

Dorm Life

Jewell is the worst dorm on campus as far as cleanliness and charges. I would recommend Stoddard or anywhere else. People like to get loud on the weekends, especially for those over 21.

Academic Rigor

Attendance is very much encouraged, it is very difficult to make up for lost class time. The homework isn't impossible, but get used to every teacher treating their class like its the only one you have. All-nighters before a test are a bad idea, even with coffee.

Tips for prospective students

The work program isn't tough, but it can eat into valuable study time, so time management skills are a must. Do not wait until the last minute for homework, it takes at least one hour per page for a decent essay. Get involved with clubs and activities, it makes college fun and less stressful.

In three sentences

It is a small private, friendly school. The courtesy displayed by the students is contagious. Our student managed work program does not promote superiority outside the workplace, making it easy to talk to your bosses.

Justina from Waukegan, IL

01/09/2012

Reviewer is A current student here.

1 out of 1 people found this review useful.
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What to do for fun

There are always free movie night, bowling night bingo games and much more on campus. I can always hang out with friends. When I like my time alone I'm creating, I love fashion and writing. I also started and fashion club on campus were we design clothing and have fashion shows.

Food and Dining

There is always a variety of foods. Special meals for vegans and vegatarians. If your not interesting in dining in you can visit snack bar and where there is a variety of take out.

Dorm Life

I love my roommate. Blackburn matches it's students dormmates by work assignments, career choices and personal choices. It worked for me.

Academic Rigor

For my first year at a 4 year college Ive had lots of help from peer tutoring as well as teacher's holding seperate tutoring sessions for their classrooms. I took 6 classes and passed them all. balancing out my schedule with work and doing plays and having time for interesting clubs.

Tips for prospective students

If you are really about your business and want a serious degree, small classes interest you. Blackburn is the right college for you. There are new classes almost every semeter and if you like you can start any organization here. It's a great place to start your own business and help get it off the ground

In three sentences

Blackburn college is very adapatable. This school is very career focused, teachers as well as students. The campus is a huge part of the community.

Nicholas from Waggoner, IL

There is always campus security on call and they are always patrolling campus.

Great for these types of students

Its a great college for all students.

Share any unusual traditions or locations on campus

Bar walk, where the workers of the college drive shuttle vans to the bars so students don't have to drink and drive.

Bang for the buck

It is not too expensive and the work program helps you lower the cost as well. The work program gives you the option to make extra cash on the side as well.

What to do for fun

Plenty of college events an activities which take place randomly throughout the months, which is another good way to get out of the room and meet new people.

Food and Dining

Food and Dining is not the best. The salad bar is my favorite, because you can never go wrong with a good salad. Off campus there are plenty of places to eat as well if you don't like the college food.

Dorm Life

Dorm are nice and clean. Student workers clean dorms everyday. The dorm space is not too small, but just right.

Academic Rigor

There are some difficult classes, but there is always the chance to study with friends and have one on one time with professors for extra help.

Tips for prospective students

It is a fun college where they try to help you succeed. Everyone is friendly and it is easy to make friends there.

In three sentences

It is small, but friendly. Students are able to have a relationship with their professors and receive extra help. A place where everyone knows everyone!

Breanna from Brussels, IL

06/11/2012

Reviewer is A current student here.

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Campus Safety

Being a small campus in a small town Blackburn has very limited criminal activity. This is a very safe community in which vandalism is the most severe offense that usually occurs. Our campus security is manned by both students and staff that are available around the clock to make sure our campus is safe. They even offer an escort to walk you across campus if you do not wish to walk alone at night.

Clubs and Activities

Blackburn has collegiate sports teams for those that are athletic but for those who are not we offer an amazing variety of clubs and organizations. A street fair is held on campus at the beginning of every fall semester to introduce students to the various clubs. There are also intramural sports and competitions that go on throughout the year and anyone can join.

Great for these types of students

Blackburn is great for students that are looking to earn a degree but not just be another face in the crowd. If you are looking for a sense of community and are wanting to build strong personal relationships with your peers and professors then this is the place for you.

Bang for the buck

Blackburn is one of the cheapest private schools in Illinois and is highly affordable for any student. Scholarships and financial aid awards are regularly given to students of high academic standing or in need. The work program is what helps make Blackburn so affordable with it's extensive tuition reduction.

What to do for fun

Every weekend Blackburn hosts an event, whether its a band performing, a hypnotist, or bingo night in the community center. Blackburn also partners with the local movie theater and local bowling alley to host free movie and free bowling nights, both of which occur several times throughout the semester.

Food and Dining

Blackburn's campus has a dining hall that is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner that offers a variety of different foods. There is also a snack bar area that offers grilled foods such as sandwhiches, burgers and drinks like coffee and smoothies. This is open throughout the day and you can use your meal plan for this as well. There are not fast food places on the campus however there are many places in the town of Carlinville to eat.

Dorm Life

Living in a dorm has it's ups and downs no matter the school. Blackburn's dorm life is much more community oriented than other schools may be. Every dorm strives to build a strong community within itself by putting on fun parties or activities for students to get involved in. It's also not a hassle to move to a new room or a new dorm if you decide that the one you are in isn't right for you.

Academic Rigor

Blackburn is like any other college or university. There is a wide range of degrees offered here and all are challenging, but not unreachable. Having good study habits helps for those classes that may be hard or time consuming. And it goes without saying that like any other college we have easy classes too.

Tips for prospective students

Don't judge Blackburn by it's size; it may be small but the quality of friendliness and education surpass larger colleges and universities. Also don't let the work program discourage you. You are required to work if you live on campus but the experiences and skills that you learn are an amazing benefit; and the tuition reduction is a nice perk too!

In three sentences

Blackburn is small liberal arts college where students not only get a great education but a great work experience as well. The work program helps students learn time management skills and build amazing resumes, both things that help our students find jobs more quickly after graduation. An education at Blackburn means that you are not just a number but a student known by the professors on a personal level.

Katlyn from McHenry, IL

06/14/2012

Reviewer is A current student here.

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In three sentences

Blackburn College is the only student-managed work college in the United States. Our dedicated professors and professionals look to have meaningful relationships with all students. And students will leave Blackburn more prepared for life after school than they would at a normal four year university.

Chelsea from Carlinville, IL

I love the people who work on our security team. They're fun people who really do care about the campus and the students who attend.

Clubs and Activities

We seriously have a club for everything. If we don't, Blackburn is always willing to make room for a club that you would like to start.

Share any unusual traditions or locations on campus

The Virgin Rock is one of my favorite traditions. Throughout the year, the rock is spray painted and drawn on to show school spirit or represent events around campus.

What to do for fun

A lot of people hang out to have fun. There's an awesome drive-in theatre fifteen minutes away from campus. The school has tons of free events for students to attend such as free movie night, free bowling, bingo, the dueling piano bar, plays, comedians, and so much more.

Food and Dining

It would be nice to have a healthier variety in our meals.

Dorm Life

I love the dorm community. Residant assistants are always amazing and there to help. However, we pay a lot of money to live in the dorms. For the most part, they are okay. It would be nice for some of the bathrooms to be repaired.

Academic Rigor

Most of the courses you take are challenging, which is wonderful. Sometimes, you come across a course that seems rather pointless or a teacher who doesn't teach very well, but those things are bound to happen. We have a lot of variety in our coursework and can take classes for just about anything.

Tips for prospective students

Don't be afraid to ask questions - the people you go to school with are amazing and willing to help you. We understand that this might be your first stab at freedom; however, don't go crazy with it. We care about your safety and do not want you getting hurt. Don't slack off. The effort you put into college will determine how your college experience plays out. Hard work pays off in the long run,

Amanda from Momence, IL

10/02/2012

Reviewer is A current student here.

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Campus Safety

The college is small and not that well lit, but I've never felt scared walking around campus, not even alone at night. If you ever feel threatened or uneasy, there is a security department run by students who can escort you on campus at any time.

Greek Life

There are no fraternities or sororities here, for better or worse.

Clubs and Activities

Though I'm not active in many clubs, there are over 30 here at Blackburn. They have department related clubs as well as sporting and hobby clubs, and if they don't have a club you'd like to join, you can create one.

Great for these types of students

Anyone hailing from a small town and feels comfortable in that type of setting will most likely enjoy Blackburn. I also encourage students seeking leadership and work experience to attend here.

Share any unusual traditions or locations on campus

Nearly every building is supposedly haunted on campus, but I think the one tradition that is most known here is Butler rock, which, as the story goes, was dropped off in front of Butler dorm from a nearby quarry. The interesting thing about the rock is that in the dead of night, students paint it to promote events, clubs, or social issues. No one knows when it will be changed or who will change it, but it's tagged every few weeks. It's been anything from a pokeball to a sign promoting breast cancer awareness. It's really amazing to see what students will create. This year there is also a rock painting competition, which will award the different faces of Butler rock in categories such as Most School Spirit and Most Artistic Design.

Bang for the buck

I don't think many schools can beat Blackburn in this department. The program grants you four years of work experience, a chance to earn paid hours, and an intimate class setting and strong education for the price tag, which is much lower than most private institutions in Illinois. Most majors even require an internship before graduation, granting students even more work experience, which is extremely valuable especially in today's unstable job market.

What to do for fun

Carlinville, where Blackburn presides, is a very sleepy town. Yet, the Campus Activities Board holds student events every weekend. These include live musicians, comedians, free bowling and movie nights, and bingo, just to name a few. Individual dorms also host smaller events like bonfires and movie marathons. Yet, if you want excitement off campus, you will probably have to drive about 40 minutes to Springfield or an hour to St. Louis. If you are from a small town, this kind of environment should be no problem, but a student from a big city might find this place to be slow and boring. Though there is one thing that the area has to offer: it's very scenic. Sloping hills, a cobblestone square, and historical buildings pepper the town, making it amazing for walks and even hikes if you go to Lake Carlinville or Beaver Dam, which also offer fishing.

Food and Dining

I think this is about the only thing that Blackburn really lacks. The food here really isn't that good unless you are crazy about buffets everyday. They serve a lot of chicken, and the salad bar items are not always fresh. They have a fast food alternative called Snack Bar, but during rush hours it is plagued by long lines and very slow service. All in all, the togetherness that meals bring keep students eating the school food as well as provide us a common grievance, which is a good conversation starter.

Dorm Life

Many of the dorms are very old on campus, and I live in the first dorm ever built (crafted by students that went through the work program nearly a century ago). They may not be be newest dorms, but they are not lacking in community. The comradery shared between students on my floor is strong, and many people know us as 3rd floor Stoddard kids. Graduated friends still visit our dorm often and hang out with us, which is something I never would've expected at a small college in a sleepy town.

Academic Rigor

There is not an easy major on campus, but some are more demanding than others. Blackburn boasts a very strong Natural Sciences division which require a junior and senior double semester seminar, yet other divisions are quickly upping the ante to make their seminars and course load just as challenging. The newly formed English and Communications department will implement two semester seminars next year, and the Art Department has a Sophomore Review (half semester), Junior Seminar, and Senior Seminar (one semester each) which both include a seminar exhibition show.

Tips for prospective students

Keep an open mind. At Blackburn, you will work in one of the twelve departments on campus, which could include anything from cleaning the dorms to calling prospective students. You may find the work not to your taste, but there is always room to move up in the work program or switch jobs entirely. Take chances. Blackburn offers you major opportunities to shine. The college is small, but allows students to take leadership roles in work, clubs and organizations, sports, and classes. Schedule your time and stick to it. Working an extra 10 hours a week (which lowers tuition and grants valuable work experience) can also take a big chunk out of your free time. Always remember that you're here to learn above all else, so make sure you plan study time as well as fun periods.

In three sentences

Blackburn was a life-changing experience for me. At first, I only attended to follow my sister to school. Yet, the work program, small class sizes, and the amazing faculty and staff developed a passion in me that I plan to pursue through graduate school and beyond.

Debbie from Steger, IL

Part of the work program is campus safety. There is someone on duty all the time and so far nothing has happened on campus.

Greek Life

No fraternities or sororities.

Clubs and Activities

There is a wide variety of clubs and activities to join.

Great for these types of students

Great for Education majors.

Bang for the buck

It's the cheapest private school in the country and good scholarships are offered. I feel as though I am getting my money's worth. They give many merit-based scholarships.

What to do for fun

Every Friday and Saturday there is something free to do on campus or you can go get a free movie or game of bowling in. What is happening each weekend is posted on a calendar where everyone has access to it.

Food and Dining

The food is decent. It depends on what they make if it's good or not. Considering the fact that the students work in the cafeteria, it isn't bad.

Dorm Life

Most dorms are quiet and everyone is respectful of privacy and keeps the noise level down when asked.

Academic Rigor

The classes are hard but not impossible to pass. The professors are really helpful and actually care about your progress.

Tips for prospective students

Don't be scared by the work program. It's really beneficial and makes you deal with real world problems. Also, don't be afraid to make friends. Everyone is really nice.

In three sentences

It's great place to be yourself and make friends. The work program gets you involved with more people and makes the college experience more enjoyable. Classes are small so there is more opportunity for one on one from teachers.

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